KLIK SAYA SOKONG BLOG

Friday, April 16, 2010

Suez Canal

Suez Canal?

I have chance to cross from Africa Continent to Asia Continent through Suez Canal in 2005.It was a special trip requested by AARDO participants during a site visit to Rehabilitation Project on Dessert Area. Together in the trip was Dato Soffian the Director General of Dept of Agriculture Malaysia. There was a strict security inspection by Egypt Authority to cross the canal. The ferry took about 30-45 minutes to cross from Africa to Asia. The cool wind blow at 8-10 Celsius make us stay in the ferry. When the ferry stop in the middle of the Great Bitter Lake, we manage to see how the moving ship vessel moving like a row of ants. There is a system of movement and complicated system relate ti sea tidal different between two sea.

According to Mr Abdulla the Suez Canal is a sea level waterway from Mediterranean sea connected to Red Sea built completed in November 1869. The canal length was 192 km (or 119 miles) connected from Ismaillia City to red sea. The width of the canal about 3 km and one ship allowed to used at one way. The so hugh ship look like moving on the sand sighting from the land level. The Suez Canal Crisis with Israel in 1967 war make the canal as International Interest managed by Suez Canal Authority.

What we want to see across Asia Continent is a huge Army Camp and Rehabilitation of dessert with plants. The rehabilitation with selected plants use drip irrigation tape to supply water to each planted tree. This program is to improve the vacant land with vegetation. Egypt authority allocate Hugh amount of money on this project. On the way back to Cairo we was surprised how the irrigation system from Nile River was systematically irrigate the dessert to a Fruit Productive Garden. The most popular fruit along canal and roadside was Mango, Banana and few other vegetables.

Me and Dato Soffian drinks hot coffee upon arrival on the west bank of Suez Canal.

Trip to Suez Canal is valuable. We manage to see 'The magic of man made history". I wish all participant has the similar views. Thanks to AARDO Secretariat and EICA Director for organising this trip.